An ethics panel ruled Monday that Gov. John Hickenlooper did not violate the state s ethics law when the Democratic Governors Association picked up expenses for him and his staff at a policy conference last year. (Lewis Geyer, Times-Call)

It comes as no great surprise that the ethics complaint lodged against Gov. John Hickenlooper was dismissed Monday by the state’s Independent Ethics Commission given the paucity of evidence of any wrongdoing.

It’s unfortunate, because the aim behind Amendment 41 was an admirable one.

A conservative advocacy group accused Hickenlooper, a Democrat, of violating the ethics law by letting the Democratic Governors Association pay for his food and lodging costs to attend the association’s Aspen conference.

This was no junket. Hickenlooper was the vice chair of the group, planned the proceedings and spoke at every event. Amendment 41 clearly allows for exceptions to its gift ban for those who have been asked to speak at an event.

In addition, the Democratic Governors Association received services from the governor that outstripped the cost of bringing Hickenlooper to the conference.

The real issue, in our mind, centers on the question of influence peddling. Did the attendees of the conference in some way pay to have an audience with Hickenlooper and did they get something in exchange?

We saw absolutely no evidence of that. As those familiar with the association meetings will tell you, the agenda focuses on policy areas such as energy, health care and trade. At the end, a dinner is held for speakers and sponsors. Did that constitute a forum for influence peddling?

That would be an absurdly restrictive conclusion. It takes more than placing people in the same room together to equal malfeasance. The governor attends events regularly that involve people who are potential donors or who interact with the state. Is he supposed to never venture out?

The complaint against Hickenlooper should have been dismissed and we’re glad to see it was.